Rumour: Microsoft wants to bring ads to free games on Xbox

Nowadays you don't have to pay to play, because there are quite a few free games available, if you have a tight budget. At the same time it is natural, that the developers and publishers would like to get some sort of revenue for their hard work. Usually this has been done via different microtransactions, battle passes and so on, but how about a traditional advertisement?

According to Business Insider's sources, Microsoft is developing a program that would allow advertisers to place ads into their free-to-play games. This would of course make it possible for developers to sell ad space in their games. These ads would then show in-game as digitally rendered billboards, for example. It is not yet known, whether there will be other in-game ad units, like avatar skins or video ads.

Business Insider's sources say that this new capability for ads would go live by Q3 2022.

Microsoft did not confirm these plans.

"We are always looking for ways to improve the experience for players and developers but we don't have anything further to share."

Thanks, NeoGaf